## Chapter 623 – #126_Night In The Desert (3)
#623
1.
Here stands a great witch.
Her white skin, seemingly capable of chilling even the desert’s heat, contrasts with her jet-black eyes. The silver hair sprouting from her small head gleams unnaturally, as if forged from molten metal.
Alice Even Hayyan, her witch’s moniker is ‘The Mercury Witch’.
Though exiled from Gehenna for repeatedly obstructing the illegal discharge of contaminated water, she is a 20th-tier alchemist on the verge of ascension, a traditional witch who receives national guest treatment in any country she visits.
With deep ties to the Persian Empire for generations, she was invited as a troubleshooter to Iran twenty years ago. In countries outside the Western developed world, it’s common to scout even exiles to prepare against homunculi.
Alice, who is guaranteed enormous rights and benefits for dealing with the homunculi that occasionally appear within Iranian territory, has come all the way to the northern desert of Turkmenistan not because of orders.
Iran and Turkmenistan have different sects and ideologies, and they have often clashed over the rights to the Caspian Sea region, so this was entirely Alice’s own side hustle for pocket money.
Of course, the reward she receives from the Iranian government is a considerable sum, enough to ensure her own wealth and prosperity.
However, alchemy is a field that inherently requires a lot of research funding. Moreover, Alice’s extravagant spending habits are notorious even among exiles.
The reason she initially accepted the Iranian government’s offer was to pay off the astronomical debt that had accumulated from her constant borrowing.
Even when she needs to stay overnight at a hotel, she books the most expensive top floor entirely, and when traveling short distances, she uses a helicopter or a private jet. Even for short trips, she always rides in a limousine with a chauffeur. She showers gifts on women she likes and throws wild parties on luxury yachts that cost hundreds of millions a day to rent.
She indulges in excessive luxury despite not having a stable business in the present world.
But Alice didn’t care. A great witch is a noble being who deserves to enjoy such extravagance to her heart’s content.
While grumbling and cursing the religious zealots for not giving her enough money to avoid having to juggle multiple jobs, Alice was extremely displeased with the current situation.
Originally, she should have secretly made a killing based on information deciphered from the oracle of the prophecy agency.
In addition, she should have been enjoying a cozy date under the night sky in a secluded desert with her lovers, Malisha and Manya…
How things turned out, dozens of witches had already gathered.
If it were just that, Alice could have handled it alone.
Whether they were from Gehenna or exiles, she could have threatened them away and monopolized the inheritance.
However, as long as Della Redcliffe, a thorn in her side, was present, she couldn’t engage in such villainy.
If she chased away the witches from Gehenna, she might end up in a fight with the ill-tempered Della, and if she chased away the exiles, she would be undermining the balance of power with the Gehenna camp.
To make matters worse, Duke Tiferet had joined, so it was decided that she would have to compete fairly with all these witches for the final blow.
“Alice, look next to Della.”
“They say he’s a male witch. That pink-haired person is Duke Tiferet, right? It’s my first time seeing him in person. He’s smaller than I thought. I think I could beat him in a fight?”
Malisha and Manya, clinging to the window of the camping trailer, wiggled their butts and peeked outside.
Alice also turned her gaze outside and watched the two people having a meal with Della.
Her magic-enhanced vision captured their figures in detail even from a distance.
“Hmm, he’s handsome.”
What immediately caught Alice’s attention was not Duke Tiferet, but the recently rumored male witch.
It was her first time seeing a male spirit, and he had a surprisingly beautiful appearance.
Of course, she had no intention of spreading her legs for a mere man.
“Alice, they say that man defeated the Lust Witch. Is that true?”
“Of course, it’s a lie.”
Alice scoffed at Manya’s naive question.
Manya is pretty and good at providing nighttime services, but her lack of a sense of reality is a problem.
“Bianca Bellili? Is that some dog’s name? She’s a 22nd tier. She was a tough opponent even for me, how could a mere male witch defeat her?”
“Alice, have you ever fought the Lust Witch?”
“Twenty years ago? Was it when I went to Mexico?”
“Wow, as expected of you.”
It was a lie.
Alice was a witch who was accustomed to fighting due to numerous battles.
However, she didn’t have the skills to survive against a 22nd-tier witch, who was notorious as a fighting rooster even among the public enemies.
It was a common belief that a battle could not be established if there was a difference of more than two tiers.
But who cares?
Bianca herself, who would have scoffed at this lie, seems to be dead, and Manya and Malisha believe Alice’s words without question.
“But even if it’s impossible to win, what about the rumor that he fought and survived?”
“Duke Tiferet probably took care of it. He’s a public notary, after all.”
“Ah, that makes sense.”
Even so, the existence of a male witch is intriguing.
A unique existence in the world.
A rarity that cannot be compared to a limited-edition designer handbag.
Even if he is useless for magical research, how many witches would look up to her if she obtained such an existence?
“Alice? Something is coming this way?”
“What?”
Just as Alice was indulging in such fantasies, Duke Tiferet and the male witch were seen walking towards the camping trailer.
2.
The atmosphere in the exile camp was definitely different.
It felt like there was a tighter sense of vigilance, or something?
Since they were wanderers not affiliated with any location point, many witches were expressing their rejection of Duke Tiferet’s presence.
Naturally, their steps were heavy.
“Don’t worry too much. Nothing will happen,”
Eloa reassured Siwoo.
Soon, three women emerged from the most luxurious-looking camping trailer nearby.
Although it was their first meeting, Siwoo could easily grasp the relationship between the three.
It felt like one queen and two attendants.
The woman leading in the center was probably the Mercury Witch.
Her hair, reflecting light and creating a halo, and above all, the aura she exuded, were as expected of a great witch.
“It’s good that we have something to discuss.”
“I am Alice Even Hayyan, the Mercury Witch. What brings the esteemed Duke Tiferet here?”
Eloa extended his hand for a handshake, but Alice simply looked down at his hand with her arms crossed and an arrogant expression.
Anyone could see that she had no manners, and Siwoo and the other two witches flinched.
However, Eloa was not someone who valued authority, so he simply withdrew his hand awkwardly.
“Please don’t be offended.”
“Sorry, but I’m already offended. I came all this way, and you suddenly show up, making it a wasted trip.”
Another high-intensity complaint.
Even if it was laced with bravado, the message itself was not fabricated.
Many of the witches in this place probably shared the same dissatisfaction.
They had come all this way, but there was only one prey and many hunters.
Moreover, Duke Tiferet, who was known to be exceptional among the hunters, had arrived, so everyone was frustrated that it would be a wasted trip.
Eloa understood that.
Most of the witches who had gathered in this desert were probably witches with ‘urgent circumstances’ who had come to make a living or raise research funds.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t come here to hunt myself.”
“Then?”
“Only my disciple will participate in the hunt. With that in mind, can you mediate so that the exiles don’t have any strange ideas?”
Alice’s gaze flickered towards Siwoo at the word ‘disciple’.
She didn’t know how a mere male witch had formed a master-disciple relationship with Duke Tiferet, but it seemed he wanted to give him some practical experience.
“It’s not like I control all of them.”
“You don’t have to. Just ensure that there are no unnecessary conflicts and that the distribution of spoils is fair. If any disturbance occurs, I would like you to promise cooperation.”
In short, Duke Tiferet himself would not participate, so if someone caught the prey first, they should acknowledge their ownership and not cause trouble.
“Hmm…”
Alice thought.
She had planned to backstab someone if necessary when there was competition.
However, if there were so many witches gathered, and if Della, who was of the same tier, was not enough, and Duke Tiferet was present, such backroom dealings would be difficult.
In a situation where Della was the only effective competitor, and she was guaranteed perfect acquisition rights under Duke Tiferet’s mediation?
It wasn’t a bad offer.
If she had Manya and Malisha inform the exiles, they would all accept it without much complaint.
Even now, half of them were packing their bags after Duke Tiferet’s arrival.
“Okay. I’ll cooperate. First come, first served. We just need to punish anyone who doesn’t comply, right?”
“I’m glad we understand each other.”
With both sides making concessions, there was no need for a long conversation.
Alice looked at the male witch over Duke Tiferet’s shoulder.
“By the way, Duke. That guy is a male witch, right? Can I take a look at him?”
Alice asked Duke Tiferet for his opinion, not Siwoo himself.
She snapped her fingers as if choosing an item at an auction.
It was an act full of discrimination.
“Or lend him to me.”
Indeed, this was the present world.
Siwoo didn’t feel bad, but rather, he felt a sense of novelty at the treatment he was experiencing after a long time.
“That’s too rude.”
Just as he was wondering how to react, a chilling voice echoed.
Alice noticed the sharp gaze that seemed to cut through her fingertips.
If the Duke had drawn his sword, her fingers would have been cut off without any chance of reacting.
“Ugh…!”
Just a moment ago, Duke Tiferet, who had seemed pink and easygoing, was now different.
It seemed that rumors were always exaggerated.
She had been secretly testing the waters, putting on a show for her lovers, and had even felt a little smug because there was no proper reaction.
However, the moment she seemed to touch his disciple, a torrent of spirit surged forth.
The oppressive force that crushed her heart flowed indifferently from between the pink glints of his eyes.
“Master. It’s okay.”
Only when the man’s hand grasped the Duke’s shoulder could Alice breathe again.
She swallowed hard, wetting her dry lips.
Then, as her upright posture faltered, she could finally utter her flashy bluff.
“Why are you getting angry? It’s a joke, Duke.”
“……”
Fortunately, the Duke, who had glanced at her, said, “Then I understand,” as if nothing had happened, and left with the man.
Malisha and Manya, who had been holding their breath, were now making a fuss.
“Wow, Alice, you’re amazing.”
“Aren’t you scared of Duke Tiferet?”
“If things go wrong, we can just fight him, right? Actually, I’ve wanted to fight him for a while.”
The reason Alice could put on such a show was because she knew that Duke Tiferet was an upright person.
She had heard that he had only hunted homunculi and public enemies and had never oppressed the weak using his power.
Even knowing that, she had been a little scared…
But as long as the result was good, that was all that mattered, right?
“You’re so cool, Alice.”
“Oh my god…! I think I’m falling for you again…”
“You guys are always so dramatic…”
She stroked the heads of Manya and Malisha, who were linking arms on either side of her.
No, actually, she was leaning on them because her legs were giving out.
If she hadn’t been a spirit, she would have peed her pants.
Alice shuddered, recalling Duke Tiferet’s eyes from a moment ago.
